KOREAN PENINSULA RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY CONSENSUS

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000947 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PARM KN KS UN SUBJECT: KOREAN PENINSULA RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY CONSENSUS IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY REF: STATE 150698 ¶1. (U) Summary. On October 31, 2007, the General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution on "Peace, Security, and Reunification in the Korean Peninsula," co-sponsored by the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Ambassador Khalilzad delivered the U.S. statement, which welcomed the October inter-Korean summit and the Joint Declaration on the Advancement of North-South Korean Relations, Peace and Prosperity that was adopted at the summit. Khalilzad also underlined that "we can achieve a permanent peace arrangement on the Korean Peninsula once the DPRK fully discloses and abandons its nuclear weapons program." Full text of the resolution is in paragraph 5. The Secretary-General and representatives from the DPRK, ROK, and twenty-two other delegations also delivered brief statements welcoming the resolution. These statements are available on www.un.org/webcast/ga. End Summary. ¶2. (U) As Secretary-General Ban noted in his statement, exactly seven years prior, on October 31, 2000, the General Assembly adopted Resolution 55/11, which called for reunification and was inspired by the June 2000 inter-Korean summit. Ban revealed that he felt a "personal obligation" to work for peace and reunification, and commended the "wisdom and courage of Chairman Kim Jong Il and President Roh Moo-hyun." Ban expressed his belief that the inter-Korean summit would "act as a catalyst for continued progress" in the Six-Party Talks. He ended his speech by promising to stand ready to provide "every assistance required, in close cooperation with the international community." ¶3. (U) Although both the DPRK and the ROK made short, introductory statements that hailed the inter-Korean summit, only the ROK Permanent Representative Kim Hyun Chong made reference to the Six-Party Talks. Kim said that the commitment of the two Korean leaders to denuclearization is "unequivocally reflected in the Declaration, which calls on both sides to implement fully the September 19th Joint Declaration and the February 13th Agreement of the Six-Party Talks." He pointed to agreements to set up a "peace zone in the West Sea," the Gaeseong Industrial Complex, the Gaeseong-Shinuiju Railway, and the Gaaeseong-Pyongyang Expressway as examples of progress on inter-Korean relations. Kim noted that the two Koreas will "cooperate closely" at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. ¶4. (U) The following Member States delivered brief statements welcoming the resolution: Portugal (EU),China, Vietnam, Japan, New Zealand, Yemen, Germany, Indonesia, Thailand, Belarus, Russia, Canada, Guatemala, Chile, Poland, Mongolia, Myanmar, Benin, Brazil, Italy, Bangladesh, Egypt, and Cuba. Several Member States, including Portugal (EU), Japan, Germany, and Italy, while characterizing the summit as a significant step forward, also made reference to working within the framework of the Six-Party Talks. Japan welcomed the inter-Korean summit as a "symbolic" event. Germany offered to act as an advisor to the two Koreas, if requested, since it could provide the unique perspective of a reunified country. Canada promised to help the two countries advance the process of denuclearization, and almost all speakers underscored their willingness to contribute to the process of reconciliation. ¶5. (U) Begin text of General Assembly Resolution A/RES/62/5: The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 55/11 of 31 October 2000, in which it welcomed and supported the inter-Korean summit and the joint declaration adopted on 15 June 2000 by the two leaders of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea; Reaffirming the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations regarding the maintenance of international peace and security, Convinced that inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation are essential for consolidating peace and security on the Korean peninsula and also contribute to peace and stability in the region and beyond, in conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter, Recognizing that the summit meeting held in Pyongyang from 2 to 4 October 2007 between the two leaders of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea and their Declaration on the Advancement of North-South Korean Relations, Peace and Prosperity represent a major milestone in improving inter-Korean relations and in advancing peace and common prosperity on the Korean peninsula and in the wider region as well, Recalling the statements welcoming the inter-Korean summit made on 1 October 2007 by the Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly, and recalling also the statement welcoming the adoption of the Declaration made on 4 October 2007 by the Secretary-General, ¶1. Welcomes and supports the inter-Korean summit held from 2 to 4 October 2007 and the Declaration on the Advancement of North-South Korean Relations, Peace and Prosperity adopted on 4 October 2007 by the two leaders of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea; ¶2. Encourages the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea to implement the Declaration fully and in good faith, thereby consolidation peace on the Korean peninsula and laying a solid foundation for peaceful reunification; ¶3. Invites Member States to continue to support and assist, as appropriate, the process of inter-Korean dialogue, reconciliation and reunification so that it may contribute to peace and security not only on the Korean peninsula but also in northeast Asia and the world as a whole. End Text. Khalilzad